


Why not?

by Hot_elf



Series: Dragon Age - series 7 (Megan Cousland / Revon Hawke / Alec Trevelyan) [18]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Consensual Infidelity, First Time, Fivesome - F/M/M/M/M, Multi, Polyamory, very little plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 17:53:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8588107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hot_elf/pseuds/Hot_elf
Summary: Sort of sequel to "Tough as Leather, Smooth as Velvet", set 8 years after Trespasser. Alec Trevelyan and Dorian Pavus visit the Wardens at Vigil's Keep. Very little plot involved.





	1. Chapter 1

The Great Hall at Vigil's Keep was much as Alec remembered it, noisy and full of raucous laughter and companionship. Nothing much seemed to have changed since his last visit, nearly eight years ago. And yet, he mused, as he reached for his tankard, things couldn't have been more different.

The last time he'd been here had been just weeks after he'd returned from Halamshiral. Right after he'd lost his hand. The pain had been fresh back then, raw and unmitigated by time. And he'd been on his own, a lonely traveler trying to come to terms with an uncertain future.

This time, he'd arrived at the Keep together with Dorian, his beloved partner of many years, and their adopted son, Corin. A family, of sorts. Corin was Alec's nephew, and he was a mage, which would have made him an outcast back home. Far better for him to grow up in Tevinter, as Magister Pavus' son and heir. He'd thrived in Dorian's home, and he was almost of age now, his powers fully developed, even if he still had some growing up left to do.

More things had changed. Back then, eight years ago, Alec had still seen himself as 'the Inquisitor' first and foremost. Nowadays, his time with that infamous organization was just a distant memory, of fighting demons and closing fade rifts, of unlikely friendships and uneasy alliances. These days, his time was taken up with the daily business of managing his estate, and an occasional rooftop run in Sera's company.

"Alec." Nate Howe smiled at him over the rim of his own tankard. "It's good to have you back here with us."

"Indeed it is." Next to him, Megan Cousland grinned, her green eyes twinkling merrily. "And about time, too."

Alec nodded in silent agreement. It was true. He should have made time for a visit long ago. He had missed his Warden friends. Nate regularly showed up in Kirkwall, but he hadn't seen Megan or Carver in ages, and he felt bad about it, even though none of them was the type to hold a grudge.

Dorian, who was sitting right opposite him at the long table, caught his eye and gave him a warm, encouraging smile. Alec was sincerely grateful his lover had agreed to come along on this visit. Dorian was fully aware of the attraction Alec felt towards Nate, of course, an attraction that had been sizzling for years and that was entirely mutual. Neither of them had ever acted on it, though. It had always seemed safer to leave things well alone.

A gust of laughter from a table at the other side of the room momentarily distracted Alec from his thoughts. Corin was sitting there, with a bunch of younger Wardens, and it was obvious that the boy was having a good time. His handsome face, so much like Alec's at that age, was flushed with wine and excitement, and his fingertips were crackling with magic. Clearly, he was enjoying the fact that here, at the Keep, he didn't have to hide his powers, like he did at Kirkwall or the family estate near Ostwick. Here, among the Wardens, mages were accepted and even appreciated, much as they were in Tevinter.

Corin was by no means the only young mage in their present company either. Alec knew that Megan regularly sent her Wardens to the Circles to recruit. There were always those who preferred the hardships of life among the Grey to being locked up in the safety of the Mage Towers. Just like the pretty girl seated right next to Corin. She was a bit older than him, maybe eighteen or nineteen, with a cloud of black hair surrounding her pale, proud face, and she seemed quite taken with him.

Corin for his part, couldn't take his eyes off her. Alec had to hide a smile when the boy extended his hand and, without apparent effort, made a large red rose appear from thin air, handing it to the girl with a fetching blush.

Dorian appeared to have noticed it, too. He raised an eyebrow at Alec who shrugged in response. "Aw, come on. It was you who taught him that spell, right?"

"I did, but…" Dorian cleared his throat. "Don't you think we should-"

"What's the matter?" Megan threw him a questioning look, then followed his gaze to the youngsters' table where the girl had now moved so close to Corin that she was practically sitting in his lap. "Ah. It appears that Alyssa has taken an interest in your boy."

Carver raised his head. "Alyssa? You'd better stop them soon if you don't want things to go too far. She's only been a Warden for a week or so. Girl's pretty desperate to get-" He caught himself just in time, blushing fiercely. "Sorry. But you know how it is."

Dorian tilted his head questioningly. "Actually no, I don't. What do you mean?"

Nate's expression was one of grim amusement. "It's a common side effect of the Joining. Increased sexual appetites. It will wear off in time, but right now…" He gestured toward the girl whose hand was resting on Corin's thigh now. "If the two of them leave this room, I bet Corin will be in for an interesting night."

"Well, in that case…" Dorian was about to get to his feet.

But Alec stopped him with a quick gesture. "Leave him be, Dorian. He's not a child anymore. Why shouldn't he? It's about time, really."

"I beg your pardon?" Dorian's moustache was quivering with indignation. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I am." Alec did his best to keep his tone soothing.

Holding Dorian's gaze, he reached for his hand and squeezed it briefly, giving him a pleading look. He didn't want to have this discussion here and now, and he hoped Dorian would understand without words.

Dorian inhaled sharply, but when he saw the expression in Alec's eyes, he visibly relaxed. "You're right. He's old enough."

Megan and her lovers had followed their little exchange quietly, without getting involved, but they shared a quick smile when, a little while later, Corin and the girl disappeared into the darkness.

When dinner was over, Alec and Dorian joined Megan and her men in her suite for a drink, just like the last time they had visited. They made themselves comfortable on cushions arranged in a half circle around the fireplace, sharing a bottle of wine and swapping stories of their various exploits. Dorian still seemed subdued, though, and Alec felt a faint tinge of worry at the sight of his expression.

"Dorian? Are you all right?" It was Carver who asked, with a sweet, guileless smile.

"I'm fine." Dorian shook himself, as if to drive away a fly. "Just… A bit worried about Corin, to be honest."

"No need for that." Nate grinned suggestively. "I'd wager my bow that he's in a very happy place right now."

Megan made a small noise of agreement and placed her head in Nate's lap. Carver nodded, but stayed quiet.

Alec himself didn't quite manage to hide his impatience, though. "Oh come on, Dorian. When I was his age, I couldn't wait to finally do the deed either. I have rather fond memories of my first woman, as a matter of fact."

"Do you, now?" Megan's lips curved up in a slow, lazy smile. "Please do tell. I love a good first time story."

"Ah, no." Alec grinned. He knew Megan well enough to know that it wasn't wise to give in too easily if he didn't want to end up wrapped around her little finger like all her Wardens. "If we do this, I won't be the only one. I want everyone's story then, and I won't go first either. Come on, guys. Your first man, your first woman, or both, as the case may be? What about you, Carver? Nate? What was it like?"

 "Not much to tell in my case." Carver shrugged, doing his best to appear unconcerned. "Both of them are right here in this room. Megan seduced me on my first day at the Keep, right after my Joining. Nate joined in not much later. And I've got no complaints about either experience." He smiled shyly at both of his lovers.

Alec smiled. It was kind of adorable when Carver put it like that. "And you, Nate?"

 "Isn't it your turn?" Nate shoved him none-too-gently with his elbow, but he proceeded anyway, with a good-natured smile. "My first girl was a courtesan my father paid for me. In a high-class brothel in Orlais." He made a face. "It was okay, but looking back I'd have preferred a partner who cared, not, you know, a professional. She was perfectly sweet about it, but still… Anyway, the first man I was with was another squire, during my time in Ansburg. His name was Arryn, and he was cute. Blond, blue eyes, the face of an angel. We shared a room, and one thing led to another, and… yeah, well. You can imagine the rest."

"But wasn't there a rumour about a stable boy, right before you left?" Megan frowned. "I always figured that was why your father sent you away."

"Oh, that." It was Nate's turn to blush. "Yeah, Jamie… We messed around a bit and my father caught us with our pants down, so to speak, but we didn't actually-" He broke off. "I'm just glad he got away before my father got his hands on him. He was furious."

Alec sighed. "Poor you. Well, I guess I can no longer put it off, can I?"

"Nope." Megan was sitting up now, grinning at him with open curiosity. "Out with your story."

"Weeeeell…" Alec paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. Dorian knew the tale, of course, but he'd never told it to anyone else. He wasn't going to mention his disastrous first attempt at sleeping with a girl, the one that he owed his scar to, so he skipped straight to his actual first time.

"My sister Ailsa had this friend, let's call her Helen, who was married young, to a much older man. They lived in Ostwick at first, but he got jealous, said she'd been flirting too much with other men, and he ended up locking her away in his country estate." He paused for breath. "Anyway, one day, I had just turned seventeen, Ailsa asked me to escort her there for a visit. And while we were there…"

He closed his eyes, recalling that long-past summer. ‘Helen', whose real name had been Kathryn, had been twenty-three or twenty-four back then, a tall, lithe beauty with sad grey eyes and the softest, sweetest lips. From the moment he'd greeted her, with a polite little bow, he'd felt her eyes on him, warm and gentle, like a caress. He'd been flattered, of course, but also a little overwhelmed.

_As soon as they'd all withdrawn for the night, she showed up on his doorstep, clad in nothing but a lacy nightgown. For a heartbeat, he was too stunned to react._

_"What's the matter, Alec? Don't you want me?" There was a hint of insecurity in her voice, beneath the bravado, and it was strangely touching._

_"It's not that," he hastened to reassure her. "It's just that I've never-"_

_"Don't worry." Taking his hand, she guided it to her perfect round breast. "I'll show you."_

There had been no question of resisting after that. She'd been so eager, so starved for love and admiration, and she'd felt so amazing around him, snug and warm and wonderful… Alec almost moaned aloud at the vivid memory.

"Helen seduced me, and I loved every minute of it." He cleared his throat.

"And your first man?" There was a rough edge to Nate's tone. His eyes were fixed intently on Alec's face, as if he was trying to read his thoughts.

Alec realized that they were rapidly leaving their usual safe distance behind. He hesitated before he went on, instinctively looking to Dorian for guidance, but his lover just nodded at him to continue.

"My first man… was an elf, actually. An archer." Ignoring Nate's amused snort and Megan's whispered _of course,_ Alec closed his eyes again. "He was the leader of a mercenary troop my father had hired for the summer. I used to hang out with his men, to watch them practice, and he noticed me and started teaching me a few tricks. I… I had quite the crush on him, and one day he took me to his quarters and asked me what was up. So I told him."

Alec shivered. It had taken all his courage to confess his feelings back then, but Maker, had it been worth it! Finnian had listened quietly to his stammerings, his face unreadable, and then, when Alec had tried to sneak out, his face hot with shame, had grabbed him by his jerkin and kissed the living daylights out of him.

"Turns out he wanted it just as much as I did." Alec's heart beat faster at the memory. It had been… wild and rough and hot, and Alec had been completely overcome by Finn's caresses, by the feel of his lean, hard body pressed up against his, the hoarse voice telling him to relax, to let go, to give in to the pleasure washing through his veins.

He'd come back for more as soon as he'd dared. It hadn't lasted long, of course, since they couldn't risk his father finding out about it, but Alec would never forget it. _Damn it, Finn. Where are you now? Are you even still alive?_ Alec was powerless against the sudden sharp stab of nostalgia that made his eyes sting.

"So that's my story," was all he said aloud. "Megan?"

"I slept with my dancing teacher when I was sixteen. He was Orlesian, from Lydes, and he'd been flirting with me for months, but he probably hadn't expected anything to come of it. Until I asked him for some very specific lessons." Megan sounded light and casual, as if she was really talking about advanced dance moves. "I didn't care for him, but I wanted it out of the way and he was skilled enough. As for women…" She blew a quick kiss at Carver. "Carver introduced me to an unforgettable pirate captain once, but apart from her I've never been interested. Sorry."

Alec wouldn't have minded hearing more about the pirate lady, but it was clear Megan didn't want to go into details. "Dorian? What about you?" She tilted her head invitingly at him.

"Nothing quite so exciting, I'm afraid." Dorian was obviously aiming for the same flippant tone as Megan had. "An older friend seduced me at a party in Minrathous. It was all very embarrassing, and we never talked about it afterwards."

Alec knew there was quite a bit more to the story, but he didn't blame Dorian for keeping the details to himself. Most of the others had probably done the same. He was actually surprised that Dorian had gone along with the game at all. It spoke volumes about how much more reassured and confident Dorian had become, where their relationship was concerned. _He'd never have agreed to this ten years ago._

The atmosphere in the room had heated up considerably, with all this talk of sex and seduction. Nate was shifting irritably on his cushion, and Carver kept sneaking looks at Dorian. And Megan…

Megan got to her feet with a quick, fluid motion and stretched slowly, shaking out her hair. "Well, I don't know about you, guys, but I'm getting all hot and bothered here, so I figure it's time to send Alec and Dorian off to their room, so we can work off some of the tension."

Alec was still struggling to come to terms with her bluntness, when Carver sat up slowly, his eyes firmly fixed on Dorian's face. "You think, Meg? Maybe we should ask _them_ what they want."

 


	2. Chapter 2

_Maybe we should ask_ them _what they want…_

Alec had thought the air had been tense before, but now, with Carver's words still echoing in their ears, it was practically _crackling_. Nate was licking his lips, his eyes darting to and fro between the others. And Dorian… Dorian was breathing faster, staring back at Carver with undisguised longing.

"What do you say, Dorian?" Carver's voice was hypnotic. "If you want…"

Dorian's eyes fluttered shut, and he took two, three laboured breaths before he looked at Alec. " _Amatus._ We can stay if you wish."

Alec's head was spinning, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. He'd wanted this for so long, and he'd been so careful to keep away from Nate. From Megan, too, because he was more than a little tempted by her charms as well. Still, much as he might desire them, he'd never have risked what he had with Dorian. Now, though, with the offer freely given, it was a different story.

"Are you sure, Dorian?" His throat was too tight to speak. "Are you really sure?"

Dorian nodded, but he was trembling. "I'm sure. Though I-"

"Tell me if you want us to stop." Megan's voice was warm and gentle as she got to her feet and slowly, carefully began to take off her clothes.

Alec watched with rapt attention, as she bared herself to them, without shame or hesitation. Megan was no longer a young girl, but her body was trim and fit, and her breasts still beautiful, and he felt himself respond to the sight immediately. None of them spoke while she got naked. When she was finished, she gracefully sank down to her knees behind Carver and ran her hands down his massive chest, gripping the hem of his shirt and slowly raising it over his head.

A small noise escaped Dorian's lips. Alec smiled at it. _Maybe this will be easier than we thought_ …

* * *

Try as he might, Dorian couldn't look away as Megan slowly, inch by inch, exposed Carver's body to his gaze. His face felt hot and he was pretty sure his cheeks were burning, but Maker, Carver was so beautiful, so perfectly built, so strong and powerful. Seeing him like this, submitting passively to Megan's caresses, did strange things to Dorian, things he couldn't quite explain.

He wanted to _touch_ that smooth, perfect skin, wanted to make sparks dance along the sculpted ridges of Carver's abdomen, wanted to feel him shiver under his hands. But at the same time he found he couldn't move, could do nothing but stare at the scene unfolding in front of him, losing himself in the heat of Carver's answering gaze.

Megan's hands were playing with the laces of Carver's breeches now, teasing him by drawing out the process, and Carver was so hard already that he was straining against the thin leather, the outline of his thick cock clearly visible. Unconsciously, Dorian licked his lips, becoming aware of it only when Alec gasped softly.

_Alec_. Dorian had nearly forgotten about him in the excitement of watching Carver getting undressed, but suddenly he was hyperaware of his lover's presence again, of the fact that they were doing this _together,_ no secrets, no going behind each others' backs. Glancing over at the others, he could see that Nate had made his move, too, and was kneeling behind Alec, barely touching him, but with an intense focus on his face that made Dorian swallow.

Could he do this? Was he really up to watching Alec with someone else? It was… difficult, in a way, but at the same time really, really arousing, to see Alec shiver as Nate's fingers trailed up his bare right arm, pushing aside his thick hair to kiss his neck, taste his skin, breathe in his scent. Dorian _knew_ how good that skin felt, soft as velvet, smooth as silk. And he knew how aroused Alec was already, could see it in the way his eyelids had grown heavy and his lips were trembling.

Just then, Megan succeeded in freeing Carver's cock from his pants and Carver sighed with relief as her small hand closed around him, giving him a few gentle, encouraging strokes. And suddenly just looking was no longer enough and Dorian had to get closer, had to get his hands on Carver.

Megan smiled at him as he knelt down between Carver's legs and placed both hands on his strong thighs. "He's all yours if you want him." Her voice was rich and warm, with no hint of mockery.

When Megan let go of him, turning her attention to undressing Alec, Carver moaned in protest and Dorian instinctively silenced him with a kiss. Carver made a small, surprised noise, but then he opened up, allowing Dorian to claim his mouth, and it was… He hadn't kissed anyone but Alec in a long time, but Carver's luscious lips had tempted him for quite some time, and he wasn't disappointed. Carver kissed like he fought, with reckless abandon and more than a little raw force, but when Dorian took hold of his cheek to take control of the kiss, he willingly surrendered. And Maker, it was exciting to realize that all that strength and power was his for the taking.

"Dorian, please…" Carver was panting hard, when their lips parted. "Can I see you? Touch you?"

"Of course." Quickly, he reached for the fastenings of his robes, but Carver's hands were already there, their touch surprisingly delicate.

Dorian chanced a quick glance over at Alec whose shirt had come off in the meantime, just in time to see Megan run her hand tenderly down his left arm, steadying him as he swayed for a moment. She seemed to have no qualms about touching the stump, and Dorian was glad – in his experience the less fuss anyone made about the missing limb, the better. Nate had gotten rid of his shirt and pants as well, and he was still embracing Alec from behind, holding him tightly now while Megan helped him undress.

A gust of cool air made Dorian shiver, as Carver pulled his robes apart, but the warmth of his hands immediately made up for this. Carver's touch was firm, but not unpleasantly so, and his hands astonishingly soft for someone who spent his days wielding a sword. _Padded gauntlets_ , Dorian's brain supplied, even as most of his attention got taken up with the way Carver's hands were moving lower on his belly now, as if drawn by an irresistible force.

And then Carver's hands were on his cock, stroking him through the soft velvet of his robes, and it only took a small move on his part to wrap his own fingers around Carver's impressive length. They moaned in unison, which drew an amused laugh from Megan.

"Well, the two of you seem to be getting along splendidly." Her eyes wandered all over their entwined bodies like a brief caress, before she returned her attention to Alec.

Alec was completely bare now, as well, and so worked up that Dorian could see a drop of fluid glistening on the tip of his rock hard cock, his chest flushed all over and his stomach tense with the effort of holding back. Nate must have realized how far gone he was already. Humming soothingly, he signalled to Megan to lie back and let go of Alec, moving over to her to take one of her nipples between his lips.

Some part of Dorian wanted to keep watching, but right then, Carver's other hand cupped his ass and pulled him even closer, gently kneading, and he almost lost it. "Sweet Andraste, Carver, slow down! Or let me-"

Focussing on his fingertips, he allowed them to heat up for a moment, before running his hand down Carver's back, all the way down his spine, in a gesture both soothing and teasing. And Carver arched into his touch with a stifled moan, his cock twitching against Dorian's, his throat bared in a posture of sheer abandonment. And Dorian _knew_ , without the shadow of a doubt, that he had to have Carver, that he needed to be inside him, as soon as was humanly possible.

Carver felt much the same, it seemed, because he twisted out of Dorian's embrace only for long enough to reach for a little vial of oil conveniently placed on a little side table. They were all still on the floor, but the rugs were thick and warm, and things were flowing so naturally that none of them seemed to feel any urge to move over to the bed.

Pressing the bottle into Dorian's hand, Carver rolled over on his stomach in a movement full of fluid grace, leaving him speechless with desire. "Dorian. Please."

Moments later, he had two fingers inside Carver's hot body, and Carver was begging for _more_ , _harder, deeper_ , and Maker, the curve of his back was so perfect, and his voice kept catching on the words he panted, and Dorian wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. He wanted Carver to be as ready for him as he could be, he didn't want to be a brute, but it took all his control to go slow. And Carver was just as eager, moving back against his hand, fucking himself on Dorian's fingers, whining with impatience.

When he finally allowed himself to sink deep into Carver's willing flesh, it felt so good Dorian wanted to cry. _So good, so perfect, so wonderful._ And when he opened his eyes, his gaze fell on Alec who'd been watching him, Alec, who was looking at him with so much love that it took his breath away.

_My love. Thank you for this._

* * *

For as long as he could remember, Nate had adored Megan's breasts: the way they fit perfectly into his hand, soft, yet perky; the way her nipples would grow hard and taut in his mouth as he licked and sucked them; the taste of her skin and the scent of her surrounding him. And yet, he found it hard to focus on them, with the sound of Dorian's and Carver's groans in his ears and the sensation of Alec's thighs brushing against his, just the lightest of touches but so impossible to ignore.

Raising his head, he drank Alec in with his eyes. Such an amazing body, made even more beautiful by his obvious arousal. And even more exciting was the look in his eyes, feverish with desire, as if he was struggling desperately to hold back. Nate couldn't blame Alec for being close to losing control. The sight of Dorian and Carver making love would have been enough to drive anyone crazy, but combined with the sounds they were making it had to be sheer torture. And Alec wasn't used to watching his lover with another, not the way the three of them were. The sheer novelty of the situation had to be a massive turn-on.

Alec took another deep breath and then ran his hand up Megan's thighs, gently parting them. There was the hint of a question in his eyes as he glanced up at them, and Nate nodded, while Megan responded with an enthusiastic moan that made Alec smile. Without further hesitation, he buried his face eagerly between her legs.

Megan, who had arched up impatiently into his mouth, squealed and Alec pulled back with a rueful smile. "Sorry. Seems I'm out of practice."

She huffed, making a face. "Not so much that. But you're really, really scruffy, you know? I should have made you shave first."

Nate didn't bother to hide his amused chuckle, and Alec quickly regained his confidence. "Don't worry. I'll be more careful."

And then his mouth was back and this time Megan whined with pleasure at what he was doing to her. As for Nate… Seeing Alec down there, his face covered in Megan's juices, his expression earnestly focussed, made his imagination soar. Suddenly, he knew exactly what he wanted.

"Meg? Are you up for taking both of us?" He'd kept his voice low, but of course Alec had heard every word, and he reacted with a rough groan.

Megan hummed pensively, but when Nate slid a finger down her back and started to caress her, his touch light as a feather, she nodded. "I think so, yes. But you'll have to be gentle. You're both big boys."

Again, Alec moaned, and Nate hid his smile against Megan's shoulder. "Don't worry."

They had done this before, him, Megan, and Carver, but it had been a while, and she would need patient preparation. Angling for the oil bottle, Nate got momentarily distracted by the blissful look on Carver's face. Dorian was moving slowly inside him, drawing out the pleasure as much as possible, and Carver was clearly enjoying every moment of it. Nate smiled affectionately at his lover. _He is such a sweetheart._ Much as he enjoyed the present scenario, he knew how lucky he was to have Megan and Carver in his life on a daily basis. He had no intention of neglecting them, for all he wanted Alec.

He made sure Megan was more than ready for him before he made her straddle Alec. She sank down on him with a deep sigh of satisfaction, and Alec cried out sharply in delight. Nate smiled to himself. _Just you wait. It will only get better._

Nate allowed them a few shallow thrusts before he moved in behind Megan and slowly worked his way into her body. She was tense at first, but he took his time, stroking her flanks soothingly, murmuring words of encouragement. Alec was staring at him over her shoulder, his breath coming in quick pants, but he kept absolutely still, waiting patiently until Nate was fully settled.

And then it was… Maker, it was always so overwhelming at first! Megan's tight, hot body around him, trembling with excitement, and of course he could feel Alec, too, feel the whole length of him through Megan's body and in a way, that was almost better than fucking him, so incredibly close, and yet never quite there, a promise of more, a taste of things to come.

"Sweet _Andraste_ , Nate, I-" Alec was clearly just barely holding it together. "What are you doing to me? Both of you? I can't-"

"Shhhh." Megan's voice, soft and warm and affectionate. "Just keep still. I need a little time, too."

"Tell him what it feels like, Meg." Nate couldn't resist. He knew exactly what his words, whispered in a hoarse, low voice, would do to her, and predictably, she clenched hard around both of them, making Alec whimper again.

"Damn it, Nate." Megan's eyes were pressed firmly shut. "It's… tight, so very tight, so… full. And you both feel so good, I-" She broke off, shivering all over. "Alec. Move."

* * *

Megan had no words for the intensity of what she was feeling, when Alec obeyed, rolling his hips slowly. Then Nate did the same, and it drew a low, keening sound from her throat that she hardly recognized as coming from her own lips. They settled into a slow, careful, rhythm, both of them breathing hard, and she did her best to move with them.

It was amazing to be trapped between their bodies, and she _liked_ the way Alec felt inside her. If she was honest, she had wanted him ever since she'd first set sight on him. So pretty, and yet so strong, so determined to do the right thing, yet with a spark of mischief in his eyes that she couldn't help but be attracted to. Besides, he really _did_ have a very nice cock, and he knew what to do with it, too. _Pity he usually saves it all for Dorian_. Ah, well. She was going to make the best of this night.

As was Carver, it seemed. She could see him from the corner of her eye, his back arched as he offered himself up to Dorian's increasingly powerful strokes, his face contorted with lust. He was so beautiful when he relinquished control like this. Megan loved watching her two men make love, and seeing Carver with a new lover added even more excitement to the scene.

But Nate and Alec were picking up speed now, and she had to focus on them in order not to lose their rhythm. Alec's eyes met hers, and they were so bright, and so blue, and for a heartbeat she was drowning in them, and then he smiled, such a breathtakingly sweet smile that she couldn't help but smile back.

"Megan. You feel so wonderful." He sounded hoarse and breathless, and his whole body was taut with want. "Fuck, I'm so close, I… Please, Nate."

Behind her, Nate made a stifled noise. "Yes. Just let me-" Two more sharp, quick thrusts, and he was coming, coming so hard that his fingers dug deep into her hips. "Fuck, Alec, you-"

He pulled back, and moments later, Alec was rolling over with her, finally able to move freely. He kept a firm grip on her with his right hand, and his hips were snapping so hard against her that Megan felt herself unravel at incredible speed. He was hitting her in all the right places, and yet, it wasn't quite enough, and she needed more, just a little more…

It was Carver's desperate moans that did it, in the end. She knew he was close, she could see him as clearly in her mind's eyes as if she'd twisted her head to see him, his body taut and flushed and eager for release, and the image was enough to send her over the edge. Her whole body was contracting, over and over, raw pleasure wrung from her in a series of climaxes, each more powerful than the last. Somewhere along the line, Alec finished, too, deep inside her, but she hardly realized it, so blinded was she by her own bliss.

When she came to her senses again, she could hear Carver beg, an edge of desperation to his voice. Dorian had gathered him up in his arms, so he was kneeling now, and they all had a perfect view of his writhing body, his cock flushed and heavy, and so close, Maker so close to completion. Megan was still half-buried under Alec's heaving chest, so she couldn't really move, but Nate was already on his way there, ready to help Carver out.

But it wasn't necessary. Before Nate could touch him, Dorian did _something_ with his hand, sending sparks of magic cascading down all over Carver's chest and stomach. And Carver came, in great spurts, spilling all over Nate's chest and arms, shaking with the force of it. Next to Megan, Alec whined at the sight, and she felt his cock twitch inside her despite their earlier efforts.

A wave of sheer, untamed joy was bubbling up inside her, and Megan had to fight a sudden urge to laugh out loud. She hadn't expected any of this to happen tonight. But even if she had, not even her wildest dreams could have prepared her for the reality of it. _So fucking perfect._

* * *

Carver was buzzing all over, his skin on fire, his stomach muscles fluttering with exhaustion, but he could feel Dorian still hard inside him, still more than ready to go on. And he wanted it, he wanted more, but at the same time he was so sensitive after his own orgasm that Dorian's next thrust made him flinch.

"Dorian." It was Nate's voice, and his hand on Carver's flank, stroking him gently. "Give him a moment. Just-"

Carver heard Dorian curse violently under his breath – _Festis bei umo canavarum!_ \- and the familiar sounds put a smile on his face.

The memory those words brought back was pale and faded, a summer afternoon many years ago in Kirkwall, when Fenris had taught him how to swear in Tevene. _VEN-hedis, not ven-HE-dis._ His deep, rich voice brimming with amusement, Fenris had patiently corrected him. _Yes, that's better. And of course there's always 'kaffas', or 'vishante kaffas', if you prefer._ Carver had done his best to wrap his tongue around the unfamiliar words. _What does it mean?_ Fenris had grinned. _Literally? 'You shit on my tongue'._ They had both laughed, and it had been a rare happy moment in a time filled with trouble and strife

And then the memory was driven away by Dorian's first, careful thrust and Carver shuddered all over. Nate made a small, questioning noise – _Are you ready?_ – and he nodded.

"Yes. More." Twisting his head around, he tried to catch Dorian's gaze. "Please, Dorian."

A rough gasp answered him, and then all he could do was hold on for the ride as Dorian gave up all semblance of restraint and fucked him hard, pounding into him as if there was no tomorrow. It was wild and exhilarating, and by the time Dorian finally cried out, pouring himself into his body, Carver was half hard again. Nate, too, he couldn't help but notice, just from watching them.

"Sweet Maker. You are all crazy." Alec's voice sounded weak. "What now?"

"You know what I want." Nate was gazing at Alec with an expression nothing short of predatory, and the hoarse growl in his voice went straight to Carver's groin.

"Nate." Alec managed a smile. "No objections from me, but Dorian and I need a break first. We're not Wardens."

There was the faintest hint of envy in his tone, and Carver smiled to himself. There was little enough about their fate to be coveted, so he would take what he could get. "We could all use a break," he said aloud. "None of us will be able to walk tomorrow if we keep this up."

"Ah, don't worry." Megan favoured him with her brightest smile. "Let's move over to the bathroom to clean up a little. And then we'll see what happens."

There was a chorus of agreement, and shortly after, they were all gathered around the tub in Megan's private bathroom, soaping up and sneaking surreptitious glances at each other. Dorian and Alec looked a bit exhausted, but happy, and Carver smiled when he saw them embrace, saw the look of love exchanged by them. He'd been worried that jealousy would rear its ugly head after all, but it looked as if his concerns had been unfounded. _Seems they can handle it just fine._

Nate's arms wrapped around him from behind. "Carver. Are you good?"

"Never been better." He leaned back into his lover's reassuring warmth, resting his head against Nate's wide shoulders. "Right now, it feels as if I could go on forever."

"I can tell." Nate's tone turned a tad mischievous as his soapy hand closed around Carver's length. "Let me help you clean up."

"Yeah. Sure." He rolled his eyes, but he was only too happy to let Nate proceed.

Megan glanced over at them and gave them a cheery wink, when she saw what they were doing, but refrained from joining them, sinking into the hot water instead with a grateful sigh. Carver could see Alec's eyes widen and heard Dorian mutter something inaudible, but he didn't really care. It felt too good, Nate's hand stroking him rhythmically, up and down, as intimately familiar with his body as he was himself. It took him no time at all to come, and of course then he had to clean up again all over.

By the time they all returned to the bedroom, making their way to the big four-poster this time, it was well past midnight and around them, all the Keep was quiet. Yet Carver didn't fool himself. They weren't done yet, not by a long stretch.

"You know…" Megan lay down on the bed with a satisfied smirk, motioning for them to join her. "It's a pity Zev and Anders have gone to Antiva for the summer."

"Why?" Nate's eyes were wrinkled with amusement. "Aren't you happy with the night so far?"

"I am, but…" Pulling Carver into a tight embrace, she grinned up at him. "If they were here, we could have a _proper_ orgy."

 


	3. Chapter 3

For a moment, Alec was too stunned to reply. If Megan didn't consider what they'd been doing _a proper orgy_ , he was genuinely curious as to her definition of the word. Then he noticed her mischievous grin and realized she'd really just been trying to get a rise out of them. Snuggling happily into Carver's strong arms, she was observing their reaction with evident satisfaction.

Alec leaned back into Dorian's reassuring embrace, racking his brain for a witty answer. But it all became moot when Nate's warm hands settled on his thighs. He, for one, had clearly chosen to take Megan's words as a challenge.

"Alec." Nothing else, just his name, but the intent look on Nate's face said everything he didn't.

Alec shivered all over. "Nate. Yes."

Behind him, Dorian tensed perceptibly. He began to pull back his arms, but before he could move away, Nate firmly caught his wrist. "No. Don't. It's fine."

How Nate managed to convey so much meaning in those few terse words was beyond Alec's grasp, but somehow it was all there: _Don't worry, I'm not trying to take him from you. – Stay, I might need your help later on. – Alec is going to love having you here. - Besides, you're pretty damn hot yourself, and I don't mind having you in the mix._ Alec wasn't sure if Dorian understood it all as clearly as he did, but he did relax, and his hands settled on Alec's chest again, gently caressing him.

Alec spared a glance at Megan and Carver, but they both seemed content to just watch for the moment. Carver was playing with Megan's nipples in an almost absent-minded fashion, and she was rolling her hips softly against his crotch, but there was no rush to their movements, no urgency. They were simply enjoying the view.

And then Nate demanded his whole attention again, Nate who was kneeling between his legs now, more than ready to take things further. _Nate_. Just looking at him made Alec's throat dry. He had seen him naked before, more than once, but now he took his time to really _look_ , and it was immensely exciting.

Nate was nothing like Dorian. The pale skin of his torso provided a shocking contrast to the dark hair on his chest, and there were scars all over his body, some small and faded, some still red and angry. It was a strong, tough body, with wide shoulders and not an ounce of fat on him, but it was the body of a man who cared a lot less about physical perfection than about achieving the things he wanted to get done. _Because he knows his time is limited,_ a small voice whispered in the back of Alec's head. _No point in taking better care of himself, when he knows he only has a few years left anyway._

It was a painful thought, that Nate wouldn't be here forever, and Alec quickly chased it from his mind. They were here, now, together, and that was more than he'd ever dared hope for. Alec intended to enjoy this unexpected boon to the full. Grasping Dorian's hand, he squeezed it briefly, glad when he felt the answering pressure. _Seems we're still good_.

"Well, Nate?" He threw a coy glance at the other man from under his lashes. "What are you waiting for?"

"Indeed." Dorian's bored drawl was as provocative as it got. "If you need a few pointers to get started-"

Nate didn't. Moments later, his mouth was on Alec's cock, and Alec's brain simply blanked out. It felt so good, hot and sweet and perfect, and Nate was so _hungry_ for it, so greedy for Alec's taste, so unabashedly eager. And at the same time, he knew what he was doing, knew how to draw out the pleasure, knew how to drive Alec completely mad with his skilled tongue. Dorian's hands on his nipples provided an interesting counterpoint, teasing and pinching, setting his skin aflame. Within moments, Alec was dizzy with want, completely overwhelmed by it all, his arousal spiraling upwards faster than he could have imagined.

When Nate pushed his legs apart, his oil-slicked fingers probing insistently, Alec was already too far gone to do anything but lie back and let Nate do whatever he wanted to him. And when Nate finally slid inside him, bending him nearly double in the process, he was reduced to whining like a kitten. Nate paused, when he was fully lodged inside him, and only then did he catch Alec's mouth in a kiss that was so sweet and yet so passionate that it took Alec's breath away.

Behind him, Dorian was moaning softly, and Alec felt him hard against his back, felt his heartbeat against his own skin, fast and wild, and it gave him even more of a thrill to know his beloved was so immensely turned on by what was happening. _Maker, Dorian, I love you so much._ It would have seemed churlish to say the words aloud, with Nate inside him, Nate kissing him, but Alec couldn't help thinking them, couldn't help the wild surge of emotion rising within him.

Nate was smiling, a little wistfully, almost as if he could read Alec's thoughts, but then he started to move, and suddenly all thought of Dorian was driven from Alec's mind. _Sweet Andraste!_ Nate was rolling his hips just so, and his cock felt so perfect, hitting all the right places inside Alec's body. He seemed to know instinctively when he could speed up, when he could thrust harder. Or was it Dorian who guided his movements, Dorian whose hand had moved to rest lightly on Nate's hips? It was impossible to tell, with the three of them so close, and anyway, Alec was rapidly losing control of his higher brain functions.

All he knew was that he never wanted this to end, while at the same time his body was screaming at him to let go, to allow himself a release that was bound to be mind-blowing. If only he could hold on a little longer. _Not yet. Just a little longer._

* * *

Nate was more surprised than he let on. He hadn't expected Dorian to be so fully on board with this, hadn't expected him to actually get involved in the act. But here he was, holding Alec, _supporting_ him, and somehow having him there made everything twice as intense, twice as meaningful.

Not that this was a casual diversion, by any means. Nate cared about Alec, more deeply than he usually admitted even to himself. There was something about the younger man that had spoken to him, right from the beginning, some connection that went beyond the superficial similarities in their background and upbringing. Sure, part of it was that it was so easy to find common ground, places they'd both visited, people they both remembered. But it went deeper than that. And while they both knew they could never be more than friends, for various reasons, they both treasured that friendship.

Which would have been nice and uncomplicated, if Nate hadn't _wanted_ Alec so much, in a purely physical way. True, he had Megan and Carver to keep him busy and satisfied, and he loved them both dearly, but Nate was a Warden, and the demands of his body were hard to ignore at the best of times. And somehow Alec always managed to hit him in _all_ his weak spots, rendering him almost powerless to resist. _Almost_. He'd been good all those years, telling himself he had no right, but now- Nate took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm and keep up a steady rhythm. Now he had what he wanted, and it was even better than he'd imagined.

"Nate, please." Alec's hair was damp with sweat and he was trembling all over. "I… I need more."

_Yes. More._ Closing his eyes, Nate nodded, and gripped him harder, tighter, lengthening his strokes, putting even more power behind every one of them. _You shall have more. All you need. All you crave._

Alec felt so good around him, and he was so wonderfully responsive, just as Nate had _known_ he would be. More than willing to let Nate take the lead, too, more than ready to relinquish control. Nate had been with Megan for long enough to know that those in the lead needed this, needed someone else to take charge for them now and then, and it was a need he was more than happy to fulfil.

Dorian, too, kept up his caresses, whispering words of encouragement into Alec's ear. Nate caught a few of them and they made him smile. So much love there, so much tenderness. If he couldn't have Alec for himself, at least he knew Alec was cherished, loved, adored, and that made him happy.

Nate was so busy watching Alec, making sure he was enjoying himself, that his own climax took him completely by surprise. Alec was going taut in his arms, and Dorian was reaching down to help him along, when it hit him, so hard, so sweet, so perfect that all he could do was scream. Alec joined him only moments later, thrusting hard into Dorian's fist, hiding his face against his lover's neck. Nate felt the briefest pang at the sight, but it was immediately drowned out by the rush of pleasure through his veins. He was tingling all over by the time he pulled back.

"Oh, my. That was unbelievably hot." Megan's voice sounded almost awed.

She had rolled over at some point, Nate saw, pushing herself up on her hands and knees, and of course Carver had needed no further prompting. Slowly, he was moving inside her, drawing happy moans from her lips. Nate felt his own heart beat faster at the sight of them. _My loves_.

Alec was glancing up at him, a blissful expression on his face, and Nate settled back on his haunches with a satisfied sigh. He was a lucky man, indeed.

* * *

Carver was torn, unsure what to focus on. Part of him wanted to close his eyes, to relish the feel of Megan's hot body around his cock, so familiar, so right. And at the same time he couldn't take his eyes off the other three. Carver genuinely appreciated Megan's choice of position, which left his line of sight unimpeded. Nate and Alec were so beautiful together, moving in such perfect harmony, and Alec's body was so lovely, trim and taut and quite amazingly flexible.

Though if he was honest, it wasn't so much seeing Nate with someone else that excited him. No, the real turn-on, as far as Carver was concerned, was watching Dorian, observing how gentle he was with Alec, how focused on his beloved's pleasure, how protective of him. It was utterly endearing, and at the same time pretty damn hot. _Oh, yes._ Carver caught Dorian's gaze for a moment, and the expression in those beautiful grey eyes hit him right in the guts. _Insanely hot._

As a rule, Carver was a lot less adventurous when it came to sex than Megan or Nate. He would have been perfectly content to share his bed with just the two of them, but experience had taught him that it was better to let them have their fun now and then. And it wasn't as if he got nothing out of those brief trysts. Carver had truly enjoyed Dorian's attentions earlier on. Being with a mage was always special, and this particular mage was so gorgeous that only a saint could have resisted him.

So Carver kept his eyes on Dorian, watched him closely as he stroked Alec through his orgasm, watched as the two kissed, watched as Nate slowly pulled back. And all the time he kept up the slow, steady roll of his hips, making sure that Megan got what she needed, too. She was getting close already, he could tell from the way her body tightened around him and her skin was flushed all over. Two more sharp pointed thrusts took her right to the edge, one more, and she was crying out, shivering all over. He kept going, though, more slowly now, and he finally allowed himself the luxury of keeping his attention on Dorian.

Dorian had let go of Alec in the meantime, but he was still hard, impossibly, gloriously hard, and oh, how Carver would have loved to get his mouth on him! But of course Alec beat him to it. And that, too, was hot, so hot that Carver had to pause for a moment to collect himself. Because he didn't want to miss a single moment of this.

* * *

Dorian's head was spinning madly. It had been incredibly arousing to be so close to Alec and Nate while they were making love, to feel their movements and breathe in their scent. And now Alec's lips and tongue were working their magic on him, which would have been overpowering all by itself. But every sensation was magnified tenfold by the heat of the others' eyes on his skin. He could _feel_ them watching him, all three of them, Megan, Nate, Carver; he was painfully aware of the way their eyes drank in every twitch and shiver of his body, and it was both immensely exciting and more than a little unnerving.

Until his eyes met Carver's and he found something to hold on to, an anchor in this whirlwind of feelings, a safe haven. Such beautiful eyes, dark brown and full of warmth and gentleness, even now, when their pupils were wide with arousal. Carver was just as worked up as he was, Dorian realized, just as close to the brink, and the mere thought was enough to ratchet his excitement up even higher.

For a heartbeat, he was almost afraid of the ecstasy he felt lurking just around the corner, almost scared his body wouldn't be able to take it. But then Carver _smiled_ , and threw back his head and Dorian watched him come, watched him let go, and it was so gloriously beautiful that he stopped resisting, stopped holding back and gave in to the pleasure washing over him. The world went dark for a moment, and he must have gripped Alec's shoulders far too tight, for when he opened his eyes again, there were red, angry fingerprints on his smooth skin, but Dorian didn't have it in himself to care. And Alec clearly didn't mind, judging from the triumphant grin on his face as he licked his lips.

"Holy Maker." Nate sounded as dazed as they all felt. "That was… amazing."

Dorian moaned weakly, unable to speak. _No. More than just amazing. Utterly spectacular._

* * *

Megan smiled as she felt Carver slide out of her, still trembling with the aftershocks of pleasure. She didn't fool herself that it had all been her doing – the connection between him and Dorian had been almost tangible. But she truly didn't mind. Carver was always ready to put the others' pleasure first, and if there was anyone who deserved a special treat, it was him.

He had changed so much from the shy and sulky boy who had arrived at Vigil's Keep so long ago, full of resentment for his brother, his fate, and the world in general. Here, among the Wardens, he'd been able to step out of Revon Hawke's overbearing shadow and to make a place for himself, and that simple fact had done wonders for him. _Frequent mind-blowing sex probably doesn't hurt either_. Megan grinned at her own wit.

"Come on, guys." She got to her feet with a sigh. "We're all sweaty and sticky again."

Once again, they all headed for the bathroom. But this time Megan took a moment to send a servant for food, and when they returned, a large picnic basket was waiting outside the door.

Carver immediately began to dig through it with a slightly worried expression, but he seemed happy with what he found. "Oh, good. That should be enough for all five of us."

"Of course it is." Megan grinned at him. "Or did you honestly figure the good folks in the kitchen don't know that Alec and Dorian are here with us?"

Nate grunted his agreement around a large chunk of venison, but Dorian looked visibly uncomfortable. "You mean…"

Nate finished chewing. "Yeah. Of course they talk. And why shouldn't they? It's not as if we've got anything to hide."

"Well, maybe you haven't." Dorian frowned. "But if Corin hears of this-"

Alec opened his mouth to reply, but Megan forestalled him with a quick gesture. "What if he does? I mean, I get why you wouldn't go out of your way to _tell_ him, but do you honestly believe he'd think less of you if he found out?"

"No! Yes. Maybe." Dorian still looked uncomfortable. "I don't know. It's just-"

Megan took a deep breath. "Look, I don't have kids, I'll never have any, and that's fine with me. But I do remember what it was like, being so young, and I'm pretty sure it's better to be open about this kind of thing. At least if you want him to return the favour. My parents-" Maker, it still hurt to talk about them, even after all those years. "They were so invested in their image of me as their virtuous little daughter that they never realized it was all a lie. I mean, I did all kinds of crazy stuff when I was sixteen." She exchanged a knowing smile with Nate. "And they never had a clue. Now, if Corin knows you won't judge him, because you like a bit of fun yourself, chances are much better he'll be honest with you."

"And you'll have a better shot at keeping him out of serious trouble," Nate threw in.

"True." Alec had nodded along with her words. "My parents didn't know about half the mischief I was up to. All because they were so prim and proper that I would never have dared to tell them. I was lucky, all in all, but-"

Dorian sighed. "Maybe you're right."

"You know we are." Alec leaned his head against Dorian's shoulder. "Corin will be fine. He's not a child anymore."

_Nope. Not after a night with Alyssa. And who knows who else._ Megan refrained from saying the words aloud, though. Dorian would need time to get used to the idea, and too many details wouldn't help. And anyway, she was getting tired of all the serious talk. _Time to mix things up a little._

"So…" Pushing the food aside, she stretched languorously. "Anybody up for a game of truth or dare?"

A chorus of groans answered her, but Megan was undaunted. The night was still young. And she had so many more ideas.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Alec yawned and stretched, exchanging a regretful glance with Dorian. He couldn't deny that Megan's plans for the night sounded tempting, but he was getting really tired, and his body protested at the mere suggestion of vigorous activity of any kind. "I'm sorry, Megan." He began to look around for his clothes. "I'm afraid Dorian and I may have to call it a night. We're not exactly 20 anymore, you know, and I don't think either of us is up for more."

Dorian nodded, clearing his throat. As one, their eyes were drawn to Nate, who had embraced Carver from behind and was idly toying with his nipples, muttering something in his ear. Carver was moaning softly, and his body clearly was very much on board with whatever it was Nate had suggested. Alec sighed. It was hard not to get jealous of their stamina.

"Ah, what a pity." Megan looked genuinely disappointed. "But, hey, wait a minute…" Turning away from them and treating them to a lovely view of her back, she started rummaging around in her nightstand. "Maker's balls, where can it be? I'm sure I've seen it somewhere... Ah, yes!" Beaming, she turned back to them, holding up a small glass vial. "I knew it!"

"What's that?" Alec craned his neck to see better. The blueish liquid inside looked a bit like a healing potion.

Megan tossed him the bottle and he managed to catch it one-handed without overbalancing. "A little restorative tonic Anders whipped up for Zevran. Comes in handy now and then. Zev appreciates it very much." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah, well." Nate sounded dry. "I can't blame him. Keeping up with a Warden lover would be tough for anyone."

Intrigued, Alec removed the stopper with his teeth and sniffed at the bottle. It smelled nice, sweet and buttery. No trace of elfroot or deep mushroom, at least not as far as he could make out.

"Go on. Have some." Megan licked her lips. "There's not much left, but it should be enough for the two of you."

Alec hesitated, but before he could take a sip, Dorian snatched the bottle from his hand. " _Amatus_! Wait. Let me have a look." Frowning suspiciously, he held the bottle up to the light and shook it a little, then sniffed at it in turn. Shaking his head, he poured a single drop on his palm and carefully touched his tongue to it. "What in Thedas did your mage put in there?"

Megan shrugged, clearly unconcerned. "No idea. But it should be safe. I've certainly never observed any undesirable effects on Zevran. Quite the opposite, in fact." She shot them another suggestive look.

Dorian huffed contemptuously. "If I had a lab, I might-"

"Oh come on, Dorian. Anders knows what he's doing, I'm sure." Alec no longer bothered to hide his impatience. Quickly retrieving the bottle, he took a deep draught. "Mmhmm, tasty." The tonic tasted much like sweetened wine, with a hint of cinnamon and caramel.

"Alec!" Dorian sighed resignedly. "All right. Let me have some, too." He swallowed, raising his eyebrows at the taste. "Now what?"

"Give it a minute." Megan leaned back, stretching voluptuously.

It took a while for the tonic to take effect. While they were waiting, Alec mentally replayed their conversation in his head: _a tonic Anders whipped up for Zevran, Zev appreciates it, no undesirable effects…_ It took a moment for him to connect the dots. "So..." He coughed nervously. "If Anders made this for Zevran, then why is there a bottle in your night- Oh!"

Megan grinned widely, but didn't reply.

"Really?" Dorian sounded mildly scandalized. "Two more lovers? Isn't that a bit excessive?"

"Well, it's not as if they share our bed on a daily basis." Megan looked unabashed. "But now and then… You see, Anders has always had a thing for Nate, and Zev gets a bit nostalgic on occasion. He misses the good old days, when we used to share a tent, during the Blight."

"Also, as you may have noticed..." Nate had let go of Carver and pulled Megan in his arms. "Our lovely Megan can be quite insatiable. Maybe you could help us wear her out." He threw an exaggerated pleading look at Alec. "It would be much appreciated."

"The two of you manage perfectly fine as a rule," Megan protested. "Not that I'm objecting to their presence, mind you."

"I didn't think so." Holding Alec's gaze, Nate began to nibble on Megan's bare neck and shoulder, making her moan. "Well? Come on, Alec. You know you want to."

_Maker, yes!_ The tonic had clearly done what it was supposed to do, because suddenly Alec couldn't recall why he'd felt so tired. His skin was buzzing with energy and the sight of Megan writhing in Nate's arms was enough to make his cock perk up with renewed interest.

With a happy sigh, he joined the two of them, cupping Megan's left breast in his hand. She laughed in sheer joy, and he felt his heart beat faster. It wasn't something he usually admitted to missing, even to himself, but sweet Andraste, he couldn't get enough of her breasts. Pushing the two soft, warm globes together, with a little help from Nate, he buried his face between them, closing his eyes and inhaling her scent, then moved his head, searching blindly until his lips locked around a straining nipple. _So good_. He was careful at first, but when Megan's moans spurned him on, he sucked harder, and Megan obviously loved it. She held his head with one hand, pulling him even closer, as if to ensure he wouldn't stop. Not that he wanted to.

When he finally pulled back, she mewled in protest, and Nate laughed softly. His hand travelled lower, parting her legs with confidence.

Megan arched into his touch and, without further ado, he pushed two fingers deep inside her. "Maker, Meg." Nate's voice was even more hoarse than usual. "You're dripping. Do you want him so badly?"

"Yes." Megan whined again. "Alec, please."

"You heard the lady." Nate looked at Alec again, and there was no trace of jealousy in either his tone or expression, just sincere affection and no small amount of arousal. "Give her what she needs."

Alec shuddered all over, more than ready to do as he was asked. Wasn't this the best thing about sex? The knowledge that you were wanted, _needed_ , desired? The hunger in Nate's eyes, the pleading in Meg's voice, they turned him on more than anything else.

Again, Nate's hands were there to help him as he arranged Megan on the bed, with her legs around his waist. And that, too, was exciting. Nate didn't begrudge them what they had, on the contrary. He and Megan were so close, so well attuned to each other that each of them seemed to get just as much pleasure from the other’s arousal as from their own. When Alec slowly, gently, slid deep inside her, Nate was panting just as hard as she was.

And, she felt so good around him! Hot and tight, and so wet for him, so eager to be taken. Her breasts were pressed against Alec's chest, soft and silky, and her pale skin was flushed all over. And when he moved, just a quick, shallow thrust, she tightened around him, her inner muscles gripping him with unexpected force.

"Damn it, Megan!" Alec moaned, unable to contain the sound. "You need to stop this or I-"

"Shhh." Nate sounded amused. "You'll be fine."

His hand settled on the small of Alec's back, pushing him even deeper, until he was as closely joined to Megan as he could be. Only when he was fully settled did Nate allow his hand to wander further downwards, gently spreading Alec open, his touch skilled and light and unobtrusive.

But even so, Alec tensed up a little. "Nate." He felt a blush spread over his face. "I don't think I can take you a second time. I-"

"Don't worry." Nate smiled warmly, even as he worked a careful finger inside him. "Just this. Nothing more." He moved his hand, finding the perfect spot, and Alec moaned again, deep in his throat.

Below him, Megan wiggled happily. "Good?"

He nodded, too overcome to speak. _Perfect_.

* * *

Dorian was intrigued, both by Alec's behaviour and his own reaction. His beloved was enjoying himself tremendously, that much was obvious, with both Megan and Nate so eager to pleasure him, so enchanted with him. And Dorian found, to his surprise, that he genuinely enjoyed his status as a mere watcher. Seeing Alec so worked up, while he still had his wits about him and could appreciate the beauty of his arousal in every glorious detail… It was beautiful and exciting in a new and unexpected way.

"They're gorgeous, aren't they?" Carver's arms settled around him from behind, and his voice was soft and warm in Dorian's ear.

Without thinking he leaned back into that strong, solid embrace, closing his eyes in utter bliss.

"What do you want, Dorian? Tell me." Carver's hand traced a gentle circle on his chest. "I'll do whatever you want from me. Anything."

Dorian moaned and pulled his hand impatiently down to his cock. "Just- Please."

"Is that all?" It seemed impossible that the touch of Carver's huge hand could be so delicate. "Well, I can do that, no problem."

And Carver set to the task with a thoroughness that made Dorian gasp and shiver, teasing, stroking, gently pumping, until it became simply too much to bear, too good, too sweet. Dorian _whined_ , every fibre in his body buzzing with arousal. He was so focussed on holding back, so tightly wound that he never noticed the sudden flare of his magic until the first sparks burst from his fingertips, and he cried out in shock and dismay.

But before anything drastic could happen, Carver pulled back his hand and gave him a moment to recover, stroking his flank in a soothing motion. "Shhh. It's all right. Just breathe. It will pass."

Dorian whimpered, desperately fighting the urge to let go, to let the accumulated energy burst loose from his hands. It was tempting, so tempting to allow it to happen, to feel the wild rush of his own power. But Carver held him, grounded him, murmuring soothing nonsense into his ears until he'd fought his way back from the precipice.

Finally, he let out a deep, shuddering breath, relaxing ever so slightly against Carver's warm body. "How did you know?"

"I grew up surrounded by mages. You soon learn to spot it when their magic acts up, at least if you want to survive the usual sibling squabbles." Carver sounded fond. "I know how to handle it. Don't worry. You're perfectly safe with me."

"I... Thank you." Dorian took another shaky breath. "Your siblings... You mean Revon?"

"Him, yeah. And I had a twin sister. She was a mage, too."

_Had. Was_. Even if Dorian hadn't noticed the wording, the pain in Carver's voice would have been enough. "I'm sorry."

"Don’t be. It was a long time ago. Now..." Carver's hand was back on his cock, his touch as light as a feather, and it sent a fresh spike of desire through Dorian's body. "Think you can go on?"

"I… Wait." Carver's hand felt good, far too good, but suddenly Dorian realized that he wanted more, needed more. Gripping Carver's wrist, he made him stop. "I want you inside me. Please."

Carver went very still. "Are you sure?"

And yes, Dorian was sure. Because Carver's hard cock felt so very good against his back, and he wanted him so badly. And he could _trust_ Carver, could rely on him to take good care of him. "Yes, I am. Really." He rolled his hips slowly, drawing a broken moan from Carver.

"What about Alec?" Carver sounded almost bashful, but at the same time Dorian could feel his fingertips dig into his flanks, and it was wildly exciting to realize how much Carver was struggling to hold back.

Dorian swallowed, but just then Alec looked up and their eyes met. Alec was smiling, looking thoroughly blissed out, and Dorian knew without asking that it would be okay. Alec would be fine with whatever happened tonight. Yet, he found Carver's reluctance utterly endearing.

"It's fine." He almost whined when Carver let go of him for a heartbeat. "Please."

But Carver's hand was already back, well slicked with oil now, and his fingertips were brushing against Dorian with the utmost delicacy, so gentle, so careful it made him want to cry.

"Carver. Yes, please. More." He hardly recognized his own voice. "Don't stop."

* * *

Carver was dizzy with arousal. He hadn't foreseen _this_ , not for a moment. It was one thing for Dorian to take what had been on offer, but Carver honestly hadn't expected him to return the favour. And yet, now that the thought had been planted, so to speak, Carver _wanted_ him, more than he could possibly put into words.

It was a dream, it had to be, Dorian opening up so willingly for him, Dorian _begging_ for his cock, melting into his arms, hot and eager and lovely, Dorian whispering his name as he slowly slid inside him. Carver held him tight, spooning him gently from behind, both of them lying on their sides so he wouldn't crush him with his weight.

Carver didn't have much room to move like this; he had to keep things slow by necessity, but he didn't mind, not at all. Dorian felt so good that he would have gladly kept this careful pace up forever. There was no rush, not at this point.

Besides, they both had a good view of the other three, and that was an additional boon, as far as Carver was concerned. Alec had just taken Meg to a long, shuddering climax, and he himself was clearly close. Nate was almost as far gone, judging from the look on his face and the way his whole body had grown tense. Carver grinned at the sight. It wouldn't surprise him if Nate came just like that, just from watching Meg and Alec and helping them along. Carver was certain that Nate had harboured that particular fantasy for a long time.

Just then, Alec cried out, jerking hard against Megan's body. Dorian made a small helpless noise, and Carver could feel him tighten around his cock, his hips stuttering in instinctive sympathy. And it felt amazing, so good that he had to bite back a cry of his own.

"Carver." There was a new urgency in Dorian's voice, and it went straight to Carver's groin. "More."

Smiling to himself, he took hold of Dorian's cock, stroking him gently. It was oddly exhilarating to feel the mage's raw need, the barely contained power inside him, the sizzle along his skin. Carver had known so many mages who were scarred or outright broken by the shackles society placed on them. He truly appreciated how different Dorian was, how confident and strong and free. _That's the way it should be._

Dorian was strung as taut as a bowstring now, and Carver knew it would only take one well-placed touch to send him over the edge. Once again, he gathered the mage in his arms, making sure he was safe and secure, before he twisted his wrist on the upstroke, the way he'd seen Alec do it earlier tonight. Dorian responded with a stifled gasp and another sudden jerk of his hips, and then he was coming, and it was gloriously beautiful. Carver needed only two quick, shallow strokes to follow him, and when he did, it was like a gentle wave, all through his body, from head to toe, all tension gone and replaced by a warm, fuzzy tingle. _So good_.

* * *

When Alec pulled back, still trembling with the aftershocks of pleasure, Megan was torn between relief and regret. Relief, because she was beginning to get the tiniest bit sore, and she was really far too exhausted to chase yet another orgasm. And regret, because she had truly enjoyed being with him, holding him, feeling him come undone in her arms.

Next to her, Nate was moaning, so close that it would take little to make him unravel completely. One glance at Alec told her that he was in no state to take care of Nate, so she reached out for her lover, pulling him close, running her fingers gently up and down his cock. She knew him so well, knew exactly what he wanted and needed. Hungrily, she watched his face while she stroked him to completion, watched every twitch and shiver, so familiar and yet always new and exciting.

There were fine pearls of sweat on his forehead and his face was scrunched up in concentration, but when he caught her gaze, he smiled and his stormy grey eyes were full of love and trust. And when he came, hard and fast, spilling all over her hand, he held on to her like a man about to drown, clinging to her with an intensity that made her want to cry.

_Sweet Maker, Nate._ Megan had to close her eyes, overcome by her own feelings. _I love you so much._

* * *

Carefully, Nate stretched his aching legs. He must have fallen asleep for a little while, but now he was restless again, cramped and a little thirsty. The room was silent except for the sound of their breathing. Megan was fast asleep in the middle of the bed, with Alec's blond head cradled to her chest. Carver was curled up at her feet, wrapped in all three blankets, as usual. On the other side of the bed, Dorian was lying awake, staring at the ceiling, his expression sombre and thoughtful.

"Can't sleep?" Nate flinched at the hoarseness of his own voice.

When Dorian shook his head, Nate gently freed himself from Carver’s grip around his ankle and slid off the bed, motioning for Dorian to follow him. "Me neither. Come on. Let's have a drink next door. Then we can talk without disturbing them."

Dorian nodded and followed him. When the door closed behind him, Nate handed him a robe and slipped one on himself before leading the way over to the fireplace. There were still a few glowing embers in the hearth, and with a little effort, he coaxed them back into life. He poured a generous goblet of wine for each of them before settling in the armchair opposite Dorian.

"You okay?" He raised his goblet in a mute salute.

Dorian sighed. "Yes, I am, thank you. Though-" He broke off.

"Go on." Nate took a sip. The wine was delicious, a rare vintage from Antiva that Zevran had got his hands on during his last trip home.

"It's just…" Dorian ran a hand through his hair, as if it bothered him. "Please don't get me wrong. It was amazing, all of it." His gesture took in the door behind which the other three were asleep. "But, I don't think I will ever completely understand how you can be so relaxed about sharing. You clearly love Megan dearly, and yet-"

"But that's just it. Don't you see, Dorian?" Nate chose his words with care. "I love Megan more than life itself. I have loved her for as long as I can remember. If the Blight hadn't happened, if my father hadn't betrayed us all, we'd be happily married now, in all probability. We'd have children, we'd take care of our estate, the whole nine yards." He sighed. There were moments when the idea sounded very appealing. "But that's not how things worked out. We had to find another way. And when Carver came along, he just fit right in. I care about him, just as much as I care about Megan. In a different way, sure, but he means everything to me."

"I can see that. And I believe I understand the three of you being together. It is… unusual, but it seems to work out well for you." Dorian didn't sound judgmental, just confused and vulnerable. "But inviting Alec and me in? Or Anders and Zevran? Why would you do that?"

"Well, first of all…" Nate took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering. "This whole little set-up here is at least as much for my benefit as it is for Megan's or Carver's. After all, I'm the one who's been pining for Alec for all those years." Dorian visibly flinched at this, and he raised his hand in a defensive gesture. "And I would never have touched him without your permission. Honestly. I'm truly sorry if you regret it."

"I don't." Dorian shook his head. "I really don't. But even so… With someone as sensual as Zevran making love to Megan… How can you not be jealous?"

"I was, at first." Nate shook his head, laughing softly to himself. "When Zevran first showed up here, I hated seeing him with her. They'd been lovers for quite a long time, and it was blatantly obvious that they were still attracted to each other. My first impulse was to make a scene, to demand that she send him packing. But, then I realized how silly that would be. You see, Zevran has no interest in taking her from me, from us. That's not his way. Besides…" Nate hesitated, but then he went on. He wasn't in the habit of explaining their life choices, and this was getting intensely personal, but after last night, he figured Dorian had earned the right to ask. "The way things are, none of us has much longer to live." Ignoring Dorian's distressed expression, he went on. "It's basic maths, really. It's been more than fifteen years since Carver's Joining, almost twenty for Meg and me. We may have a few more years, but-" He broke off. No need to go into details. "I love Megan and Carver. I love them and I want to see them happy. And if it's not me but Zevran, or Alec, who puts that blissed out smile on her face, what does it matter? As long as she's happy, I'm happy. And the same goes for Carver. I'm just grateful for everything we have together." His throat constricted painfully, and he felt a single tear trail down his cheek. Angrily, he shook it off.

"I see." Dorian swallowed hard. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Nate forced himself to smile again. "It's just the way it is. Nothing to be done about it." With a sigh, he got to his feet. "Come on. Let's try and get some sleep. The night is almost over."

He gestured toward the window. A small sliver of red had appeared on the horizon, and soon the sun would be up. It was almost over, this hot, crazy, wonderful night they had shared. In just a few hours, they would return to their normal lives, their duties, their obligations. Dorian and Alec would leave and maybe they would never meet again. But the memories of this night would remain. And Nate knew with absolute certainty that he, at least, had no regrets.

**Author's Note:**

> Huggles and thanks to my awesome beta suilven.


End file.
